About the Bar

Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism

The Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism, the first body of its kind in the nation, was created in 1989 by the Georgia Supreme Court with the primary charge to enhance professionalism among Georgia's lawyers. In carrying out its charge, the Commission provides ongoing attention and assistance to the task of assuring that the practice of law remains a high calling, enlisted in the service of client and public good. Composed of representatives of the organized bar, practicing bar, judiciary, law schools and the public, the Commission serves as the institutional framework for sustaining an environment that fosters professionalism in the legal community. The Commission's work centers around:

educational programming;

periodic recommendations to the State Bar, the judiciary, and the law schools in Georgia; and

coordination of professionalism activities of the organized bar, courts, law schools, and law firms.

To further its charge, the Commission:

Develops educational materials, law school curricula and continuing legal and judicial education programs on the values of professionalism: competence, civility, legal ethics, integrity, commitment to the rule of law, to justice and to the public good;

Administers the Professional Continuing Legal Education (CLE) requirement, effective Jan. 1, 1990, by which the Supreme Court of Georgia mandated that each active member of the State Bar complete one hour of CLE annually on the topic of professionalism;

Serves as a resource, archive and clearinghouse for exchange of information regarding professionalism initiatives past and present, local, national and international;

Provides guidance to professionalism movements in other jurisdictions, nationally and internationally.

The Commission's major activities are:

Approval and oversight of more than 500 Professionalism Continuing Legal Education sessions annually.

Production of Professionalism CLE curricula and materials.

Continuing Judicial Education sessions on Professionalism.

Law School Orientations on Professionalism and Upper Level Law School Professionalism Programs.

Transition into Law Practice Program (statewide mandatory mentoring).

Mentoring Programs: lawyer-to-lawyer and lawyer-to-law student.

Judicial District Professionalism Program.

Statewide Convocations on Professionalism.

Statewide Town Hall Meetings for lawyers and judges to address ethics and professionalism concerns.

Annual Statewide Community Service Awards.

Annual Law School Symposia on Ethics and Professionalism in the Practice of Law.

Resource for professionalism initiatives of lawyers, judges, law firms and bar associations in Georgia and other jurisdictions.